During the arraignment, the U.S. Attorney's office asked the magistrate judge order an "immediate detention hearing" based on new charges being filed in the case.

Mount Pleasant Attorney Daniel O'Neil, representing Merrill in the case, argued that his client had complied with every condition of bond, was undergoing therapy and appeared as ordered with family members for the hearing Thursday. O'Neil said the word "ambushed" came to mind since he had not been told about any attempt to revoke Merrill's bond.

Binder said the government has a right to ask for a detention hearing at a first appearance, but said he had doubts about whether or not the arraignment was Merrill's first appearance.

He instead ordered a bond review hearing be scheduled, though a date was not chosen during the hearing.

According to the criminal complaint, the investigation began after CMU technology staff noticed an increasing level of internet activity from one of the university's computers and shut down the machine's internet connection.

Merrill called staff at the school's help desk to repair his connection. A staff member analyzing the problem with the professor's computer reported finding a video file that depicted child pornography.

The school police later executed a search warrant at Merrill's office and home and seized digital evidence, video tapes, computers, handcuffs and weapons. Authorities have reported finding thousands of images and videos of male and female children engaged in sexual acts.

Merrill admitted to authorities that he "was sexually assaulted as a minor and wanted to know if child pornography was as repulsive as he read about," according to affidavit attached to the FBI criminal complaint. He admitted to detectives he had downloaded three videos of child pornography and had watched two of them.

After the state charges were dismissed, Merrill was arrested on a single federal charge of possession of child pornography. The remaining two charges were added when the grand jury indictment was issued.

Merrill declined to comment following the hearing Thursday.

If convicted, Merrill could face 5-to-20 years in prison and up to $250,000 fines on each charge of receipt of child pornography and up to 10 years in prison and up to $250,000 on the possession of child pornography charge.